Reinforced luggage handle and mounting member



May "20, 1969 1.. YLAUTIN REINFORCED LUGGAGE HANDLE AND MOUNTING MEMBERFiled June 21, 1967 FIG. 1

INVENTOR 1E0 1A 01'! United States Patent 3,444,967 REINFORCED LUGGAGEHANDLE AND MOUNTING MEMBER Leon Lautin, 43 White Drive N., Cedarhurst,N.Y. 11516 Filed June 21, 1967, Ser. No. 647,737 Int. Cl. A45c 13/26U.S. Cl. 190-58 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A plastic handlehaving a continuous loop reinforcing wire frame. A plastic mountingmember is utilized for securing the handle to luggage.

Background of the invention This invention relates to handles suitablefor attache cases and other luggage and particularly to a plastic handlehaving a continuous wire frame and to mounting hardware.

Plastic handles are almost universally employed for luggage handles.Thermoplastic materials are preferred and the materials commonly usedare polyethylene and polypropylene. The polypropylene is preferred forthis purpose as it has a more pleasant feel as contrasted to the waxyfeel of polyethylene. However, polypropylene has the undesirablecharacteristic of becoming brittle when exposed to extreme cold. It isnot uncommon to see travelers at airports attempt to lift luggage thathas just come out of the hold of an aircraft only to find the handlebreaking off in their hand.

U.S. Patent 3,009,551 discloses a plastic handle having a C shapedreinforcing rod. However, this handle relies on the resistance of thewire to bending for support. This necessitates the use of heavy gaugewire and the disadvantageous cost. This construction, as is pointed outin the patent, results in a resilient handle. A further disadvantaeg ofprior art handles is a tendency for them to pull out of the handlemounting hardware if even slight loosening occurs. The use of anexpensive metal mounting member is mandatory. The handle of thisinvention has a continuous wire which is captured by the handle mountinghardware. The metal shaft permits the use of simple plastic low costmounting hardware.

The prior art utilized metal mounting hardware such as shown in U.S.3,009,551 and U.S. 3,185,272. From the standpoint of cost, it is desiredto use injection molded plastic mounting means. However, prior arthandles required such massive plastic structures to provide adequatesupport as to be impractical. The handle of this invention has a longshaft which distributes the load over the mounting means and which is ofsmall diameter permitting the use of a plastic mounting portion whichneed not be larger than the present zinc die cast mounting harware.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide an improvedplastic luggage handle.

A further object is to provide a reinforced plastic handle.

A particular object of this invention is to provide an improvedpolypropylene luggage handle.

A further object of this invention is to provide a handle which may beattached to luggage by means of a plastic member.

A still different object is to provide a low cost handle and mountingmeans.

These and other features, objects and advantages of the invention will,in part, be pointed out with particularity and will, in part, becomeobvious from the following more detailed description of the inventiontaken in con- 3,444,967 Patented May 20, 1969 junction with theaccompanying drawing which forms a part thereof.

Brief description of the drawing FIG. 1 is a partially sectionedlongitudinal view in elevation of the handle of this invention showingthe manner and means of attaching it to the top wall of a piece ofluggage;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken in elevation along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal elevational view, partially sectioned, of thehandle of this invention secured in a plastic mounting member;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken in elevation along lines 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of an insert member;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of a different insert member;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal elevational view, partially sectioned, of ahandle and plastic mounting means;

FIG. 9 is a vertical section taken along line 99;

FIG. 10 is a detail in elevational view (in section) of an end portionof a handle and a handle mounting.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring now to FIGS. 1-3,there is shown a luggage handle 11 attached to a top member 12 of apiece of luggage by means of a handle mounting member 13. The handlemounting may be formed of plastic. The presently preferred plastic isABS plastic (acrylonitrile-butadienestyrene polymer) which can be metalplated if it is desired to simulate a metal mounting member. It is to beunderstood that while plastic is preferred on the basis of low cost, themounting member may be made of metal, for example, as a zinc casting.The mounting is provided for a' plurality of bosses 15 which providebases for anchoring screws 16. The bosses serve to center wire shaft 17.Shaft 17 is part of a continuous wire reinforcing member 18 which isembedded in plastic handle 11. The handle is preferably molded ofpolypropylene. The handle comprises a hand hold portion 19 and a pair ofangularly dependent portions 21.

An alternate method of securing the mounting member to the luggage is byproviding the mounting member with an insert molded metal saddle member20. As shown in FIG. 4, this member may be provided with threaded studends 22 to which nuts 24 may be attached. Strap 26 (FIG. 6) may haveinternal bores for receiving screws 28. The embedded saddle may be asimple hairpin member with prong ends 32 as shown in FIG. 7. The prongsare intended for insertion through appropriate slots in the luggage andbent over to secure the mounting member thereto.

For smooth operation and centering of the handle, washers 34 may beplaced on the shaft.

The shaft and reinforcing ring may be bent out of steel wire having adiameter of about 0.12". A diameter of 0.08" to 0.20" is satisfactory.The mating portions of the loop should be welded at the joint. Bybending the ends as shown in FIG. 8 and butt welding, a projection 37 isprovided which rides in groove 39. The projection and groove provide aself-centering means for the handle. Instead of bending the ends, awasher could be welded between the two butt ends to form a projectionfor centermg purposes.

In FIG. 10 there is shown a portion of a modification of theconventional handle terminating in a restraining nub 36. Molds for thistype of handle are readily modified to receive the reinforcing wireframe 38. In this embodiment the shaft portion provides a long bearingsurface in contrast to the molded nubs 36.

There has been disclosed heretofore the best embodiment of the inventionpresently contemplated and it is to be understood that various changesand modifications may be made by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A luggage handle and a handle mounting means, said handle comprisinga hand hold portion, legs extending angularly from said hand holdportion at opposite ends thereof, a metal rod extending from andbridging the free ends of said legs, to define a shaft and continuingthrough said legs and said hand hold portion, to form a complete loop;said handle mounting means comprising a body having a longitudinalchannel for receiving said shaft and means for securing said mountingmeans to luggage.

2. A luggage handle and a handle mounting means, said handle comprisinga hand hold portion, legs extending angularly from said hand holdportion at opposite ends thereof, a metal rod extending from andbridging the References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,705,858 3/1929Finkelstein 190-57 1,774,949 9/ 1930 Shwayder 19057 2,177,554 10/1939Stiff l6127 3,009,551 11/1961 Kotkins 19()58 FOREIGN PATENTS 677,015 8/1952 Great Britain.

DONALD F. NORTON, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 16126

